SHORT STORY
THE PRETTY WIDOW
to twine into his. "To-morrow. whispered.
Socrates," she Socrates Wilson turned to the woman next to him. "To-morrow, darling," he replied, and, lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed her finger tips.
"You do really love me, don't you?" "My darling, I adore you. I think we'll be very happy together." And for a woman quite forty years of age the lady managed to blush quite pret- tily.
"You've arranged everything?" ask- ed the man, and to a keen observer it would have been noticeable that there was a slight trace of anxiety In his tone.
man's tone.
a
And "Why, Major; how are you?" The Remover's' face lit up with pleas- ed surprise as he held out his hand. "And what on earth are you doing in this outlandish little spot? I always thought it was about this time of the year you went to Monte Carlo."
THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 23, 1940.
By Roland Daniel
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It is an undoubted fact that the IT was a glorious day. The sun was Mr. Remover, and that is, that one of the man. But that's not the worst of it.
shining brilliantly, the sky was of these days you meet a nasty sticky About a month ago he had the colos- Major would have been materially in
sal audacity to worm his way into the terested in his friend's behaviour after they had parted, had he been able to the deepest of deep blues, and the sea death."
"Be that as it may, Socrates, my old affections of the widow?"
"Ah! and who's the widow, Major?" witness it; for the first thing he did --which was as calm as the proverbial millpond-seemed almost as if it de- friend, I trust that before that time
have a conversation with one of those sired to apologise for disturbing the comes I shall have the pleasure of The Remover was becoming inter- was to cross again on to the front and
as it reading your obituary in the news- csted.
"The widow, Dick, is an exceedingly photographers who snap your picture peace of that lovely morning, broke in tiny wavelets, with a sort of papers on the morning that they hang
charming and pretty woman who lives as you walk along and then give you a ticket to call at some shop the fol- hissing sound, on the shingle barely you by the neck until you're dead.”
And having offered each other these in the next bungalow to mine."
"Ah!" muttered The Remover lowing day where you can buy half a dozen yards away from their
sympathetic and kindly felicitations, feet.
again, and waited.
reproduction of yourself with out the two men passed on.
"And this hincompoop, this bound- arm about your best girl-or some- Suddenly the woman reached
Barely had 'The Remover' gone his and laid her hand on that of the man
for the small sum of sixpence. next to her. Slowly her fingers began way a dozen paces before he felt him- er, has dared to steal away her affec- body else's wife, as the case may be-
shoulder. self touched on the
He tions,"
"Steal them away from whom, Ma- To this strolling camera man "The half turned swiftly, expecting the man he
with a Remover' gave a certain sum of money had been speaking to a moment be- jor?" asked The Remover,'
and received a promise in return. That "From me, sir, me!" snapped out the the promise was fulfilled was proved fore had come back to add some more whimsical look in his eye.
faltering by two instances that happened later kindly wishes for his well-being.
But instead of Socrates Wilson, Major, and then in a half
tone of voice: "Dick, my boy, just be in the day. The first was the remark however, he found himself facing big, red-faced man with a grey, brist- tween you and me, if that bounder of a pretty woman of about forty to a "Oh, Socrates, did you see? That ling moustache who greeted him with: hadn't stepped in with his insidious man:
"Good lord! I thought it was you, ways, I honestly believe Ruby and I
would have been engaged by now." man took our photograph."
"Ah, so the Indy's name is Ruby,
And the delivery to "The Remover' Dick, but I wasn't sure."
and she's charming and pretty" and a at his hotel of a photograph of a man widow. Has she any money, Major?" and woman walking arm in arm "Sir?" said the Major, bristling all the front of Littleplace-on-Sea.
"George," said The Remover' to his examined "Now, now, my dear Majör; don't manservant, after he had over. get all het up. Don't imagine for a the photograph and written a letter. "So I always have done for the last moment I'm suggesting you'd run after "I fear I shall have to break your spell But I was just of taking the sea air and send you up The woman nodded her head.
she "Everything."
replied. "This five years," replied the Major. "But any woman's money.
the this year I thought I'd like to spend wondering if there was anything be- to town by the night train. You will afternoon the Bank will have
You a quiet six months at this delightful sides charm and good looks that might deliver this envelope by handing it to
the person it is addressed to. money ready for me to draw out."
The Major calmed down. Looking had better stay at some hotel for the "Five thousand pounds-wasn't that little spot. I've got a small bungalow attract Socrates Wilson.” And again up at the end of Sea View; you must the sum you told me?"
can catch the first train back again there was a trace of anxiety in the come along there and spend an even- The Remover' earnestly in the face, night, as our house is shut up, and you
ing with me. And now, may I ask he said:
It leaves at seven "Dick, my boy, it's my opinion it's in the morning. what you are doing down here?"
"The Remover explained he had that five thousand pounds he's after." o'clock and is due here at nine."
0," said "The Remover" "Very good, sir," sald George, who come down for a week's holiday.
he between his teeth. "She has five thou- would have made the same reply had "I chose Littleplace-on-Sea,"
his instruction been to make a jour- said, “because I knew it was quiet and sand pounds, has she?”
ha!" the Major spluttered ney to the other side of the globe. "This is entirely between old Now it happened that Socrates Wil- "I'll call for you in the morning. I would not be likely to be bothered
friends. I'm not supposed to know, son was staying in the same hotel as Ruby. We'll go straight up to town by a lot of people I didn't wish to a bit.
'The Remover,' and perhaps this was and get married. I've arranged for a meet.”
by "I trust you don't include me in the but Lambert told me." special licence, and then
his eyebrows. "And who's Lambert? ten o'clock that evening. "The Remover' aeroplane to Cannes to spend a most category of those you don't desire to "Lambert?" The Remover' arched unfortunate for Socrates Wilson. About was sitting in the smoke-room enjoy.. wonderful honeymoon in my little meet," remarked the Major.
"Good lord, no! I'm tickled to death. Another of the lady's admirers?" villa. Won't it all be just lovely?"
"Lambert, my dear Dick, is our local ing a cigarette and a whisky and sode agreed that And the woman
it to see your jolly old beaming face.
They tell me there's quite a good golf Bank manager, and he has, I may say, when the hall porter came up to him would.
"He has given orders to be called at About an hour after the above con- course somewhere about here. You the same opinion as I hold about the and said:
night at the club he told me in con- half past seven sir. Also, I have as- versation had taken place, that inter- and I, Major, must have a round one person we're discussing, and the other
confidence I shouldn't certained he has ordered a car from fering and mysterious,person-whose morning."
"Surely, surely," replied the Major, fidence-a principal hobby in life was endeavour- ing to place behind prison bars crimin- and then in a sort of hesitating tone break, Dick, except that I know you one of our local garages to pick him Don't can be trusted-that Ruby had order- up here at ten minutes to nine, the als whom the police found it difficult to of voice: "Excuse me, Dick. lay their hands upon because they think I'm being impertinent or any- ed him to realise on all her securities car eventually to drive him to Lon- "Thank you," said "The Remover,' kept themselves just within the law, thing like that, but was the man you and that she" was "going" to the Bank don."-
hard cash. About five thousand "and you might make a note that 1 and who called himself 'The Remover were speaking to a moment or so ago this afternoon to draw it all out in
front of an acquaintance of yours?" -was strolling along the
"What man?" asked 'The Remover,' pounds, Lambert said it would amount desire to be called at seven o'clock,"
It was another glorious morning as Littleplace-on-Sea where he had ar- rived that morning to spend a quiet and then, as he suddenly remembered; to, and it's my honest opinion she's
Socrates going to hand it over to that bounder, The Remover' strolled along the front to face "Oh, of course you mean holiday, when he came face
the little fool. And yet what can I do in the direction of Sea View. Directly opposite the pretty widow's bungalow with a somewhat flashily-dressed, self- Wilson?"
to prevent her? Nothing." name," satisfied-looking man of about thirty.
'The Remover' thought of quite a lot was a glass shaded shelter. "The Re- "Great heavens above, if it isn't my snapped out the Major. “Is he a friend
of things he might do, but he vouch- mover' sat himself down on it, facing old friend, Socrates!" "The Remover' of yours?"
safed no opinion on that point. But the seas so his back was to the road- "I should hardly class him
might stopped dead in front of the man who
Socrates Wilson have been supposed seeing he almost had been approaching him, so bring friend. I've met him once or twice he felt it was interesting to know at not such an inconvenience as ing that Individual to a standstill also. in places, that's all. Why do you ask last the real reason
sojourned in a spot like Littleplace- immediately took from his pocket
fairsized mirror which gave him an "And what is little Socrates doing at me?"
I should have The Major's face took on an even on-Sea.
"She'll regret this intrigue; she'll re- excellent view of all that was taking Littleplace-on-Sea? thought it was far too quiet a spot for redder hue than was its usual tint. His
moustache appeared to bristle fiercely, gret it, I know she will," went on the place at his back.
Dick, what's In his mirror The Remover' saw a him to find anything interesting In.”
"He's a bounder-that's what that Major. "But damn it! The man addressed looked at the
Dick-and A bounder,
I the use of trying to warn a woman of car drive up, and out of it got Socrates she's In Wilson, who immediately walked up speaker and there was a frown on his fella is.
don't care a damn if you tell him what forty when she Imagines
the narrow path and knocked at the face as he replied:
love?"
and widow's door. Turning the mirror a
"Five thousand pounds, darling. It's my little all," she added a moment later, and in doing so failed to hear the little sigh of satisfaction the man had been unable to keep back.
away
"Yes, that's the fellow's
"Sir, I don't think I have the honour I've said." of your acquaintance.”
"The Remover' smiled.
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"So the charming and pretty "And I don't suppose Socrates Wil- son would exactly burst into tears if five-thousand-pounds' worth of Ruby little 'The Remover' could just manage with a is forty, is she?" said "The Remover.' to see the Major's face gazing through "There are some people I know who I did," said 'The Remover
of came to The Remover's' lips as look- wouldn't call it an honour but an in- laugh. "Now, Major, tell me what “Yes, yes; I can quite understand it's the window of his bungalow. A smile ing at his watch he rose to his feet at that age." fernal nuisance to know me at all," precisely has this man done to get so difficult to argue with a woman replied "The Remover with a smile. under your skin?”
The Major blew his nose. Perhaps the same time. Two minutes to nľne.. "Come and have a drink, Dick, und "But surely little Socrates cannot pos- sibly have forgotten the man whose I'll tell you. I always feel I require it was in an endeavour to prevent a A prolonged whistle sounded in the out tear trickling down his cheek, but air away in the distance; a tiny streak to wash my mouth
of smoke could be clearly seen getting evidence got him his last three years' something stretch. I think, if I remember cor- whenever I have occasion to mention 'The Remover' was not sure.
"But, hang it, Dick, I love her-and nearer and nearer, She would be in rectly, you uttered something quite that snake in the grass."
"I believe I'm going to hear some it makes me see red to think she to time-good. The Remover gave a uncomplimentary as to my personal
Now there waą only one thing to do character directly after the Judge had thing interesting about Socrates Wil- should fall for a bounder like that, Yet sigh of relief. sentenced you.”
son,” thought “The Remover" to him- what can I do? I know nothing against If looks could have killed, Socrates self as he and the Major crossed from the man-I wish I did. Why, daran delay the departure of Socrates Wi-
should reach Sea View from the sta-- Wilson would have struck The Re- the front towards a sign which read: it, I'd give my right hand for definite son and the pretty widow.
proof the fellow's a crook." · Saloon Bar. mover' dead at his feet.
"The Remover thought that if ever tion in five minutes and he guessed, the "It's like this," explained the Major, "I remember you now," he said with a snarl, "You're the damned interfer- after they had ordered their drinks, he had wished to possess the right person he was expecting would waste · ing swine who calls himself The Re "The fella came down here about six hand of the Major, he would have a no time. Crossing the road,, be made weeks ago and had the internal im- very easy way to obtain it. But he straight for the front door of the wi- mover"."
It was Socrates Wilson who opened "Quite right, Socrates, my lad. I'm pertinence to worm his way into what offered no comment on the man's re- dow's bungalow and knocked. delighted to see your memory has not little-society we do possess. Not that marks, for he felt what he knew about
he was too willingly received, but Socrates Wilson would in no way help the door and who would have imme- failed you entirely."
Continued from Page: 17) "Go to the devil!" growled the other, damn it! he's got a skin like a rhino the situation were he to inform the diately closed it in "The Remover's "And I've only one with in my heart, ceros. I don't believe you could insult other.
"
A taxi